10 Common Myths And Facts About Physiotherapy That You Need To Know

There is a tremendous rise in the demand for physiotherapy as patients have been experiencing continuous positive results from it. Though we are all familiar with physiotherapy, as most of us shall have availed the service for ourselves or any of our near ones. Physiotherapy is used to treat a wide variety of health issues, related to Old age Problems, Neurological Conditions, Women's Health Conditions, Musculoskeletal Conditions, or any Sports-related Injuries. Most of us have a general idea of what physiotherapy is, but you must have noticed that we sometimes assume something about any field that is not actually true. The same thing applies to physiotherapy. Here are some facts and misconceptions about physiotherapy that you need to know. In this blog, we have discussed several myths and misconceptions that prevent people from availing of physiotherapy treatment.

MYTH: Physiotherapy Treatment is just for Sports Injuries.
FACT: People think that physiotherapists treat only sports injuries or are involved with sports teams. Whereas, physiotherapy can be used to treat a diverse group of people suffering from various illnesses like neurological conditions, pediatric conditions, geriatric conditions, musculoskeletal conditions, etc.

MYTH:  The patient needs a referral to see a Physiotherapist.
FACT: This is not actually true. Physiotherapists are well-trained professionals who can determine whether the patient requires medical attention or else requires sole physiotherapy treatment. A physiotherapist can examine, access, and diagnose the patient and plan a treatment protocol. Thus, the patient can seek physiotherapy treatment without consulting a doctor.

MYTH: Physiotherapist only gives Exercises.
FACT: Exercise can form a major component of a physiotherapy treatment plan. But, exercises aren’t the only treatment a physiotherapist renders, there are other forms of techniques used to create personalized treatment plans. These can include electrotherapy(TENS, shockwave therapy, ultrasound therapy, etc), manual therapy (joint mobilizations, deep tissue massage, trigger point release), taping, acupuncture, postural education, postural advice, etc.

MYTH: Physiotherapy is only about Massage Therapy.
FACT: Physiotherapists are not just massage therapists, their treatment may or may not include soft tissue manipulation, and this is often a small and sometimes non-existent adjunct to overall treatment. Physiotherapy is a practice that cures pain and treats disabilities while massage is a practice for relaxation.

MYTH: Physiotherapists cannot make a Diagnosis.
FACT: Physiotherapists diagnose illness at a very initial stage. They check sensation, muscle imbalances, bone issues, postural problems, and many more conditions by using manual diagnostic tests. And thus, are well-trained to diagnose a condition.

MYTH: Physiotherapists treat only Muscle Pain.
FACT: Physiotherapists are qualified to treat a variety of conditions and their treatment is not limited to muscle pain and related issues, but there are many more conditions that can be treated by physiotherapists like disc problems, arthritic joints, joint stiffness, scoliosis, nerve problems, tendon problems, foot problems, headaches, vertigo, women’s health issues such as incontinence, neurological issues like balance and coordination problems and stroke rehab, post-surgery hip & knee replacements, knee & shoulder reconstructions, etc.

MYTH: Physiotherapy is a part of Orthopedics.
FACT: This is one of the most common misconceptions that people have about physiotherapy, which is not true. Physiotherapy plays a vital role in orthopedics but this does not make it a part of orthopedics. Physiotherapists can treat all kinds of patients including Orthopaedic, Cardiovascular, Neurology, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, and many more.

MYTH: Some patients believe that the Physiotherapy clinic is just a gym center.
FACT: Physiotherapy clinics are usually for patients and the gym is for people who require fitness. Therapeutic exercises recommended by the physiotherapist are completely different from the exercises taught by a gym trainer, no gym trainer can teach therapeutic exercises to a patient. As physiotherapists need to maintain the fitness of their patients therefore their clinics can have fitness equipments also.

MYTH: Surgery is the final/only option. 
FACT: Physiotherapy is a non-surgical treatment process and aims to reduce pain, improve movement & restore functionality in order to improve the patient’s health. From treating degenerative disc conditions, osteoarthritis, and rotator cuff tears to meniscal tears, physiotherapy has proven to be as effective as surgery. Therefore, surgery is not the only option. In many cases, physiotherapy has tremendous results and thus prevents surgery in a wide range of conditions.

MYTH: The patient can do Physiotherapy on their own.
FACT: Some people think that physiotherapy isn’t worth the money. They think that they can do the exercises on their own and see the same results.

Physiotherapists have specialized knowledge about physiotherapy and know the body’s anatomy & nervous system better than the patient. They study everything about physiotherapy for multiple years & learn tons through that. So, when physiotherapists treat patients there is a lot of background that they use to settle on the simplest intervention and how they should perform a certain exercise, and what would be the simplest way to try to handle a specific patient. There are many more things that the patient cannot do just by themselves by googling something or by just reading a piece or article. Physiotherapists use various ways to treat people through electrical modalities or exercises or manual therapy and physiotherapists actually show how to do the exercises so that the patient can do them themselves. The supervision or guidance of an experienced physiotherapist is essential for perfect movement.

Physiotherapy can help people of all ages stay fit and healthy. It is unique and treats a huge variety of conditions. For many people, physiotherapy has been a lifesaver as it helped them to improve their quality of life and mental, emotional, physical, and social functioning. If you are interested and require physiotherapy treatment and want to benefit from it, then don’t believe these myths and reach out to a local physiotherapy clinic today.